The analysis focused on all Gather’s commercial users with multiple HbA1c readings in the system. Among these 41 people, we found baseline HbA1c ranged from 6% to 13.5%, with an average of 9.4%.

After 3 months on the platform, HbA1c had dropped an average of 1.35 points. This change is both statistically and clinically significant and was maintained out to 9 months.

Changes in HbA1c among patients using Gather from baseline to 3, 6 and 9 months

Although this is a small subset of our users, they match our previous analyses demonstrating decreases in mean blood sugar. In addition, they’re in line with the robust medical literature on the impact of telemedicine systems on blood sugar control.

Gather is glad to be a part of the effort to build the evidence base for mHealth in diabetes. Keep your eyes out for the completion of our clinical trial this winter and the wealth of data it will bring!

Gather Health empowers patients to take charge of their health by activating a holistic care team around them – including their physician, nutritionist, family, and other patients like them.

Turns out the best way to get people to exercise isn’t talking about long-term health benefits, but focusing on immediate rewards like stress relief, better mood, more energy, and opportunity to connect with family and friends. In fact, people who have goals aimed at losing weight or improving health tend to spend the least amount of time exercising.

More evidence that financial incentives can help people quit smoking, this time among pregnant women.

At-home self-testing of blood pressure was found to effective in helping people manage their hypertension and benefits continued six months after the program had ended.

In the US, changing regulations for telemedicine, with many states allowing establishment of doctor-patient relationship and prescription of medication by video. Washington recently became the 24th state to require insurance reimbursement for some telemedicine services.

How much of a difference can you make in 8 weeks? With Gather Health, a huge one.

Since 2014, Gather has been helping people with diabetes take better control of their health. Today we’re excited to announce some good results! Our newest whitepaper demonstrates high retention, decreased mean BG, and improved Bg control among patients using Gather Health.

Data from 1 clinic in Ahmedabad, India from 164 patients was analyzed. After 8 weeks, 75% of patients enrolled in Gather Health were still actively using the app.

Among these diabetics, there was an average 27 mg/dL decrease in mean BG and an 18% increase in ADA-defined in-range readings.

Most out-of-range readings were high (83%) and related to either food (64%) or feelings (16%). On average, the practice sent each patient about 1 message per week.

Gather Health empowers patients to take charge of their health by activating a holistic care team around them – including their physician, nutritionist, family, and other patients like them.

We know incentives are important, but how important?

Financial incentives are more effective than typical care, finds a creative study on financial incentives and smoking cessation. All 4 incentive programs (individual or group, reward or deposit) were more effective than the typical approach of providing information and free aids (patches, gum). People were much more likely to agree to join a reward program than one requiring them to deposit money up-front and have it returned if they successfully quit smoking. However, those who agreed to the deposit program were twice as likely to successfully quit. There were few differences between the individual and group interventions. NEJM wrote a very readable editorial as well as publishing the full study.

Also some knowledge about diabetes to blow your mind.

The relative importance of diet and exercise in losing weight (spoiler: eating less is a lot more important than exercising more).

An exploration of how diabetes may differ in Asian-Indians compared to Caucasians finds Indians are more likely to have high central obesity, increased inflammatory markers, greater insulin resistance, and higher risk of coronary artery disease.

Over in the US, over half of millennials with diabetes say that they would trust a health app over a health professional for advice.

Gather Health empowers patients to take charge of their health by activating a holistic care team around them – including their physician, nutritionist, family, and other patients like them.

A national survey in India finds among the urban middle class, >25% of people with diabetes are undiagnosed. Among those with diagnosed diabetes, blood sugar control is poor as is awareness, treatment, and control of high blood sugar and cholesterol.

Speaking of food, a dietary survey in India revealed that carbs comprise nearly 2/3rds of a typical Indian diabetic’s diet (vs. 40-50% in the West). While 2/3rds were adherent to a diet plan their physician recommended, nearly half had not received diet counseling!

Active discussion in the US about what type of care nurses should be allowed to provide, particularly in rural areas and under what type of supervision, if any.

Accenture projects that by 2018 there will be >100 FDA approved digital health devices, saving the healthcare system nearly $100billion USD.

And last but far from least, the annual report on internet trends by Mary Meeker of Kleiner Perkins. TechCrunch’s pithy summary, and the full deck. Particularly notable are the slides on internet penetration in India:

An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure

People with diabetes can develop several foot problems, some of which can lead to serious complications. Diabetes can cause nerve damage, which makes your feet less sensitive to pain, heat and cold. Another result of nerve damage is your feet become very dry. Because of this you might not notice a sharp object in your shoe, or even a small cut on your foot. Diabetes may also reduce the flow of blood to your feet, which will make it harder for your body to heal a small cut or blister, or fight off an infection. Therefore a small cut or wound could develop into a serious infection and even to amputation. This handy test can help you monitor the sensation in your feet and your risk for ulcers. Ask your doctor for a ‘monofilament’ so you can test your feet at home! Push to make the filament bend

Foot care tips

Keep your blood glucose in your target range as much as possible.

Examine your feet every day for blisters, cuts, swelling, and red sports.

Be active, but pay attention when you exercise. Do not exercise with open sores on your feet.

Wash your feet every day. Dry them carefully, especially between the toes.

To keep your feet from getting dry, use skin lotion for the tops and bottoms of your feet. Do not use lotion between your toes.

Cut your toenails after bathing when they are soft. Cut them straight across and avoid cutting into the corners. File the edges with an emery board or nail file.